Carnival Cruise Line 'Extremely Grateful' For Reopened Baltimore Port Channel

Carnival Corp CCL is back to business as usual at the Port of Baltimore, two months after a Maersk containership caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

What Happened: The port announced on Monday that the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port reopened the Fort McHenry Channel to 24-hour commercial availability.

The decision comes after a Unified Command team that included the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers restored the waterway to its original operational dimensions of 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep.

The boxship, named the Dali, was removed from the area of the collapsed bridge on May 20. The last truss of the bridge was taken away on June 4, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers. More than 50,000 tons of bridge wreckage was removed from the Patapsco River.

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Why It Matters: Carnival Cruise Line resumed regular sailings for passengership Carnival Pride on May 26 — just days after the Maersk vessel’s removal from the cruiseship’s homeport.

"We are extremely grateful to the officials and incredible first responders in Baltimore, who've shown great leadership and resolve in this difficult time, as well as our supportive partners in Norfolk, whose rapid response allowed us to continue to deliver our scheduled sailings for our guests," Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy said in a statement.

"It's been our goal to resume operations in Baltimore as soon as possible, and after working closely with local, state and federal agencies, we look forward to a successful return."

Carnival Pride was temporarily moored at the Port of Norfolk. The company began its May 26 return to Baltimore with a round-trip 14-day sailing to Greenland. It plans to resume its previously planned sailing schedule from the port into spring 2026.

Shares of New York-listed Carnival climbed 2.7% to $16.78 during Wednesday’s pre-market trading.

Royal Caribbean Group RCL and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings NCLH also offer sailings from the Port of Baltimore.

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Image: Midjourney